Training Program on Conflict Transformation and Peace Building at TISS
- Tata Institute of Social Sciences -
Last Date : March 31, 2010

The Jamsetji Tata Centre for Disaster Management
of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences
announces a 5-day training programme on

Conflict Transformation and Peace Building in Disaster Management

April 12 to 16, 2010

Context

Emergencies in the South Asian region particularly have increased in the last ten years including disasters and conflicts. Natural disasters have more than doubled since the 1980s and apart from natural disasters, which are partially human-made; the region has also witnessed conflicts. Since 2000, the world has witnessed over 35 major conflicts and some 2,500 disasters. Every year, more than 35 million people are displaced as a result of war, crime, political unrest, and natural disasters and there were over 14 million refugees at the beginning of 2008 most of them originating from and residing in the developing countries.

Wide-ranging challenges, such as persistent poverty, rising epidemics, terrorism, environmental degradation and the collapse of social systems compounded with high levels of violence call for specialized and specific responses. However, most of the aforementioned challenges and issues are intertwined and interdependent and hence cannot be addressed in isolation. Nor can they be effectively addressed without dealing with the internal tensions or divergent interests. Further dimensions are added by processes of political transition and the forces of globalization that have led to rising ethnic tensions and identity politics, especially in the midst of economic crisis. Although development policies are designed to eradicate poverty, injustice and minimize the destruction of natural resources, as well as contribute to peaceful resolution of crisis and conflicts rooted in poor development and social transition, newer approaches, effective instruments and efficient services will need to be further developed on a continuous basis to respond to ever new conflicts.

While each conflict is unique owing to different underlying causes and trajectory leading to different impacts and solutions, it is possible to identify some common threads on how these conflicts have evolved and can be addressed. Careful examination of the causes, the stakeholders, the stages of the conflict, the external factors and the context is required to gain insight into opportunities for interventions in the form of mediation or preventive diplomacy, whereas other strategies could help transform the conflict leading to stability and peace. There is a need therefore to create tools, mechanisms and methods to manage conflicts and find common areas of interest, which are central to conflict transformation efforts.

Conflict transformation processes cut across a range of initiatives including violence prevention, restoring social cohesion, peace-building and reconciliation. In order to ensure that communities and societies can live more equitably and peacefully together. Conflict transformation processes help in finding common ground and focus on building the structures essential to prevent conflict and achieving sustainable peace. However, very often conflict resolution initiatives focus on short-term solutions that fail to address deep-rooted anxieties and do not support or translate into conflict transformation. There is a variety of factors underlying any conflict which requires strategic as well as multi-pronged responses. It is impossible for anyone stakeholder or institution to respond at all stages and to every aspect of the conflict. Hence, conflict transformation is a multi-stakeholder led process operating both locally and internationally.

Increasingly, it has been recognized that short term solutions are short-lived and continue to threaten peace and security resulting in resurgence of violence in post-conflict societies impacting, other parts of the region. Hence, there is a need for the regional and international communities to work towards political solutions and framework for sustainable peace.

This training programme seeks to combine an in-depth understanding of the theory and practice of conflict transformation from a regional and international perspective offering participants an opportunity to: (a) gain a conceptual understanding about conflicts and conflict transformation, (b) learn about ways of integrating conflict management into existing development processes and (c) lean the significance of human rights principles in conflict transformation.

Learning Objectives

§ To understand the complexities of various conflicts.
§ To situate the understanding of peace and conflict within the broader context of development work.
§ To develop an understanding of the range of skills required in addressing conflicts across social, cultural and political contexts.
§ To identify forces that trigger and fuel inter-communal differences resulting in violence and extremism.
§ To appreciate and begin to develop skills in conflict transformation such as communication, negotiation, facilitation, mediation and reconciliation.
§ To understand the significance of regional and international organizations, civil society, academia, experts and media in the mediation, management and transformation of conflicts and peace-building.

Expected Outcomes

§ Participants are able to identify issues, needs, interests, differences (positions) and common approaches among stakeholders in peace-building.
§ Participants will begin to develop insights into skills required for sustaining peace and for conflict transformation.
§ Participants will have an opportunity to explore their communication skills in facilitating conflict transformation processes.

Curriculum 1. Conflict transformation and peace-building: Understanding the dynamics of conflict; understanding the processes of negotiation and communication, strategies of peace-building and conflict escalation.
2. Human rights awareness: The idea of social justice and human rights and a rights based approach to peace-building.
3. Gender concerns in conflict transformation and peace-building.
4. Cultural issues: The importance of cultural awareness in conflict transformation and social reconstruction; the cultural content of conflict escalation; the significance of religion, language, gender; the central importance of ‘identity’ in the dynamics of contemporary conflicts.

Participant Profile

The programme is meant for middle and senior level professionals in government and non-governmental organizations engaged in development work in general and disaster management in particular.

Total Number of Seats

The programme will admit only 30 participants.

The medium of instruction of the programme is English.

Methodology

The programme design includes presentations by resource persons followed and interspersed with spaces for interaction and experience sharing, problem-solving exercises, group work and film-screenings.

Resource Persons

Leading experts from the sector with rich and diverse experience of organizing such interventions and capacity building programmes will be invited to facilitate the sessions.

Duration

The training programme is residential and will be facilitated over 5 full days (April 12th to 16th, 2010).

Venue

Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Malti and Jal A D Naoroji Campus
Deonar Farm Road,
Deonar, Mumbai – 400 088.

Fees

Selected participants will have to pay a registration fees of Rs. 7500, which will cover costs of food, accommodation, training material and field trip expenses, if any. Fees are payable by Bank Demand Draft in favour of 'Tata Institute of Social Sciences', payable in Mumbai which are to be couriered to:

Ms. Evon D'Souza
Secretariat
Jamsetji Tata Centre for Disaster Management
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Malti and Jal A D Naoroji Campus
Deonar, Mumbai – 400 088.

Registration Form

Aspiring candidates need to fill in and send the registration form which can be downloaded and posted on the TISS address mentioned in the FEES section or forwarded via e-mail: [email protected].

Registration forms need to be accompanied with an updated resume of the candidate.

Last date for registration – Wednesday, March 31, 2010.

For queries please call Ms. Evon D’Souza, Secretariat, JTCDM on 022-25525880 between 10.30 am and 5.30 pm (Mon to Fri except public holidays)
OR
Write to: The Training Coordinator - [email protected]

Suggested Terms:

1. Payment should be made by Demand Draft in favour of Tata Insitute of Social Sciences, payable at Mumbai and mailed to the above mentioned address.
2. Course fee can be paid through bank transfer to Account No. 10895954226, State Bank of India, Deonar Branch, Mumbai.
3. Registrations without payments will NOT be accepted.
4. Only 50% fee is refundable in case of cancellation on part of the participant.
5. Full refund will be given in case of cancellation on part of the organizers.
6. Participants need to make their own travel arrangements to and from the training venue including local conveyance.
7. Duly filled registration forms along with resume and DD must reach on or before March 31, 2010.
8. Accommodation will be offered on a twin-sharing basis only.
9. Organizers reserve the right to alter course curriculum and of permitting admission to the programme.
10. Changes in venue and other particulars, if any, will be informed, to the participants.
11. Certificates of participation will be awarded to all participants who attend all sessions.

Download the application form here (PDF - 9 KB).